Hi everyone, I'm new here and looking for some advice. For the last year I've had what have felt like heart palpitations. It feels likes flutters in my chest, or like my heart is beating oddly. I went to my PCP and I was referred to a cardiologist, who did an echocardiogram and had me wear a holter for 24 hours. They picked up an extra heart beat every now and then, but the palpitations I wrote down did not reflect on the holter monitor readings. The extra beats were considered benign and nothing more was done.

I also get a really strong heart beat after eating food that contains a lot of carbs and/or sugar. Since my un-diagnosis I've been able to control the flutters with diet and exercise, and by keeping my stress level down. They went from 30-40 per day to a few every once in a while, and usually just when I am really hungry. I eat and immediately feel better. I should also mention that when the "palpitations" (if that is what they are), were really bad they would always kick in as I laid down to go to bed at night. My doc thought it was stress related, and that resting forced all the stress of the day to come to light. I'm not so sure...

For the last 5 or 6 days I have been waking up around 4:30 am with the flutters. They are felt in the center of my chest, in the middle of my ribcage. They are continuous for about an hour and when I get up to start my day they get better and go away completely when I eat something.

I don't have acid reflux, and I only get heart burn very occasionally. I am slightly overweight (about 20 pounds) and I have been dieting pretty heavily, so I go to bed hungry. I'm wondering if this is actually due to esophageal spasms? I have also been under a lot of stress, and so the extra acid production and laying down with an empty stomach might be causing some sort of attack? But I would think that I would feel burning or some other discomfort related to acid-type issues. These flutters are painless.

Oh, I've also noticed that I sometimes have trouble swallowing, like I'm trying to swallow a huge mouthful of food at once when I'm just taking normal bites. One time food got stuck halfway down and it was really terrifying.

I know I have to go to the dr, and I will, but my doc is clueless and I want to be proactive when I go in. The one thing that makes me think it is my heart is that this morning when my "attack" was going on I placed my fingers at my jugular to moniter my heart rate. Everytime I had a flutter my heart would seem to skip a beat and my heartrate was definitely irregular....not sure if esophageal spasms can affect the heart this way, or if these issues really are coming from my heart.

I'm really scared and just wish I could find out what is going on so I can fix it. Thanks in advance for any thoughts/advice.

I think I have similar experiences to what you're describing. I have had GERD for years now, and it does give me a funny feeling in my chest. In fact, most of the time my symptoms are not a burning sensation but rather a pressure in my chest from acid buildup. I take prilosec every day, but lately that has been doing absolutely nothing for me. I have been tested for gall stones as well because my symptoms were very similar to a gall bladder problem.

I like to describe the funny feeling I get sometimes as a "sinking" in my chest near my heart. It lasts for only a second, and almost feels like my heart is skipping a beat or beating irregularly. No pain though. And I have no trouble exercising or anything like that. My EKG was normal, but I still get that sinking, or fluttering as you're calling it. And that feeling is always associated with eating for me, or at night it gets worse for whatever reason...I try to let myself digest a few hours before going to bed.

You might have GERD and not know it. I've heard that problems swallowing can also be a symptom. Sometimes I feel like my throat is constricted. I get burning occasionally, but like I said more often it is chest discomfort, which I understand is very scary. I am seeing a GI specialist this week and asking if that sinking feeling is GERD-related because I really think it is. I don't get it unless I've been having bad acid reflux. I hope you find out what the problem is...definitely ask about GERD when you go though. Good luck!

It could be esophageal spasms. And you have had the heart workup, so I think a check of your GI system should be next. It might require a test called manometry to pick up the sort of esophagus problem that you might have.

WOW your story sounds so close to mine. I also have the flutters in my chest. I even sometimes cough because for a second I lose my breath. I also have this feeling when I swallow like I feel pain when the food goes down. It;s weird, the pain is at the base of my neck.
I have had upper gi's and it really showed nothing I think the next test ist he mamometry.

I get those flutters, too -- not often, but maybe once or twice a day. They only last a few seconds, and often lead to a slight cough, but yes, they are scary. Makes me feel light-headed and breathless. Sometimes I deliberately cough, and that seems to stop it.

I am so glad that I found this posting. I have searched for years before coming across ES.

mandygirl12 and cardiogirl, you have each described what I have dealt with for years! Unfortunately, this sinking pressure and fluttering has prompted the onset of panic resulting in a few false alarms and trips to the ER. Each trip, I was found to be completely healthy.

Your descriptions match perfect. The pressure/sinking feeling, feeling my jugular during the attack and I can feel the 'spasm' in my pulse too, light headedness, panic, etc. I have not trouble with exercise, and with a resting heart rate of around 58, I am apparently in fairly good cardiovascular health. Sometimes it feels like my heart flutters when I am reclined, but on a few rare occasions (maybe 5 in 10 years), it does it so bad that I can feel it while walking and totally distracted... it gets my attention REAL FAST!

All of this is easy to tell myself while I am not having the flutterings. However, during the fluttering, it is very easy to get the impending feeling that something is seriously wrong in there!!

The Dr. put me on anxiety meds, which have helped with being worried about dying, but the fluttering is still there. Some days it is completely absent and others it the feeling is there all day long and the flutterings come and go.

Do we actually know what this is though?

I have done some reading on ES and its a pretty good fit. I am starting to pay more attention to acid reflux indications since learning that you can apparently have acid reflux and not even know it. An occasional heart burn is just the very worst of acid reflux. As it turns out, acid reflux can be irritating the esophagus down low without your being aware of it.

Any news or known treatment? I know it does hurt anything, but my mom had a 15-minute ES so was bad that she would have bet her life that it was a heart attack and she was sure that she was dying!

I am so glad that I found this posting. I have searched for years before coming across ES.

mandygirl12 and cardiogirl, you have each described what I have dealt with for years! Unfortunately, this sinking pressure and fluttering has prompted the onset of panic resulting in a few false alarms and trips to the ER. Each trip, I was found to be completely healthy.

Your descriptions match perfect. The pressure/sinking feeling, feeling my jugular during the attack and I can feel the 'spasm' in my pulse too, light headedness, panic, etc. I have not trouble with exercise, and with a resting heart rate of around 58, I am apparently in fairly good cardiovascular health. Sometimes it feels like my heart flutters when I am reclined, but on a few rare occasions (maybe 5 in 10 years), it does it so bad that I can feel it while walking and totally distracted... it gets my attention REAL FAST!

All of this is easy to tell myself while I am not having the flutterings. However, during the fluttering, it is very easy to get the impending feeling that something is seriously wrong in there!!

The Dr. put me on anxiety meds, which have helped with being worried about dying, but the fluttering is still there. Some days it is completely absent and others it the feeling is there all day long and the flutterings come and go.

Do we actually know what this is though?

I have done some reading on ES and its a pretty good fit. I am starting to pay more attention to acid reflux indications since learning that you can apparently have acid reflux and not even know it. An occasional heart burn is just the very worst of acid reflux. As it turns out, acid reflux can be irritating the esophagus down low without your being aware of it.

Any news or known treatment? I know it does hurt anything, but my mom had a 15-minute ES so was bad that she would have bet her life that it was a heart attack and she was sure that she was dying!

Thanks for any feedback!

Hello!

Well since I posed this in January I've been to a gastro specialist and had an upper endoscopy. It didn't show anything except that my valve in my esophagus- forget what it's called- is very weak and doesn't close properly, hence why I have such bad acid reflux. He said there's not much you can do about that. I had also asked about the fluttering sensation and he wasn't 100% sure but said it could be related to my digestive problems. He didn't really seem to know what I was talking about though.

Weak valve is pretty common, and there really aren't any medications to help with that. You can take acid blockers. They don't stop the reflux, but they do make what's coming up less acidic.

Non-drug measures help, too, such as sitting or standing up straight, especially during and after meals. Don't wear anything too tight around the upper abdomen. Don't eat near bedtime. (Weirdly, I sometimes have issues with eating first thing in the morning, too.)

Hi
It seems but closer to may problem. I am 42, diabetic and statrted feeling tightness in chest while walking. It was feeling of soar throat and burning in eosophagus upto throat. Also felt that heartbeat is fast. Being diabetic got worried and immediately saw a Dr. My ECG, heartbeat, pulse and BP was all normal. Dr diagosed that it was acid reflux, oesophagitis and put me on Omeprazole (2+0+2) and domperidone(1+1+1). Initially i also had problem in lying down. But now it got better but chest tihtness and that soar throat thing still happens after 300 to 400 steps of walk. Mentioned itto Dr but he says will get better and it was not a heart problem. But i dont feel satisfied despite the fact that Dr was a really highly qualified one. Any advice or suggestion? Eagerly waiting

I came across this sight when I <searched the internet> if esophageal spasms and heart palpitations were related and I'm relieved to see there's other people experiencing the same thing. I've just recently started having what I think is esophageal spasms but have long had palpitations. I've never been diagnosed with a heart issue but have had palpitations, racing heart issues for a very, very long time. I just started having episode where I thought my throat was closing- as in I was absolutely going to die. I feel this huge lump in my throat and feel like my throat I swelling. However... Ie gone o my PCP and the ER twice in the past week. All three times ring told something different. The first visit I was told I had bronchitis, the second visit was a change in antibiotic as well as pharyngitis added to my diagnosis. I went again this morning, rather than work because I really thought my throat was completely closing but this time I was treated like a hypochondriac. Several times I had to tell the doctor I wouldn't be here if I was "fine". He told me I looked fine, no swelling in my throat or elsewhere despite how I'm feeling. It was the nurse who gave me my discharge sheet that mentioned she had been having similar issues and it turned out to be an esophageal issue. She recommended I see a GI doctor. Which I will be making an appointment with tomorrow. As well as a cardiologist. I've long had stomach and digestive problems, untreated acid reflux issues, heart palpitations, chest pain, etc. the throat problem is brand new... And I'm honestly very scared. I don't feel as though my doctor- or any doctor ice seen had listened to me this far... That's why I'm researching things on my own, maybe if I go in with more knowledge Ill Get some real answers, a diagnosis and treatment plan. Ill feel a lot better knowing exactly what's going on. Especially with the palpitations. That is honestly the scariest feeling. Then add throat closing and I'm a basket case. In full panic mode. It's not anyway to live my days! What's been everyone else's experiences with this? I'd really love some feedback and to here more from everyone! Some things I'm noticing are eating/drinking too hot or too cold things bring on the spasms. They seem much worse early in the morning and late at night. Right now I'm afraid to eat anything because I want to stop the spasms from starting... Not practical though. Over the years I've also had some chest pains, back pain and arm pain- sound familiar? Like a heart attack? Except I'm 32 years old, have no heart defect according to a stress test and echo three years ago. It seems like a laundry list of problems but I think it's all connected! One last thing that had always plagued me- is I burp a lot. Gross maybe but it's uncontrollable. And frequent. I'm nauseous a lot too and sensitive to certain foods. I sound a mess but some of this is new and some are old symptoms I'm trying to piece together! Any input would be appreciated! I'm definitely seeing a GI GUY soon!

The Following User Says Thank You to Casey31 For This Useful Post:Rjacks24 (04-29-2013)